A Space Hotel

 Voyager Station and Pioneer Station, two proposed offerings from Orbital Assembly, aim to be the first commercial space hotels upon completion. 

If the idea of a space hotel sounds enticing, then mark your calendars for 2025. Orbital Assembly, a company that specializes in designing and constructing space stations, is planning to open luxury accommodations in space by that time. So those of us making grand postpandemic travel plans should start considering the final frontier as a destination. With two space hotels in the works—Voyager Station and a more recently announced Pioneer Station—anyone’s next R&R could take place among the stars.

Both space hotels would accommodate more than just intergalactic travelers, but would also be suitable for business, manufacturing, and research. Voyager Station, Orbital Assembly’s first proposed space hotel, was originally designed to accommodate 280 guests, though plans have updated that number to 400. The company has also recently shared designs for a smaller station called Pioneer Station, which would house significantly less people—only 28 at a time—but could be operational as soon as 2025.

"We expect the duration to be as little as four days or as long as two weeks,” Rhonda Stevenson, Orbital Assembly CEO, tells AD of potential trips to the hotel. “It depends on cost and also the ability to acclimate to a space environment.” Price considerations aside, both Voyager Station and Pioneer Station are designed to m koinimize this second factor as much as possible.

The Voyager Station plans to accommodate 400 guests, while Pioneer Station will house 28. 

Both stations make use of artificial gravity, which can be understood through a simple demonstration: spinning water in a bucket. Much in the same way one can spin a bucket in a circle, keeping the water inside of it, the space hotel would simulate gravity in a similar manner. This makes comfortable rooms and stylish bar experiences possible. According to the Space Voyager’s website, the degree of artificial gravity will vary depending on the speed of rotation.

Because of the physics involved, both Voyager Station and Pioneer Station look in many ways like a giant floating wheels. On Voyager Station, the docking hub in the middle of the station will welcome ships and also serve as the operation and control center. Elevators in spoke-like shafts then transport guests and employees to the main hospitality area, which encircles the structure in the way a tire does a wheel. “Artificial gravity functionality informs the overall layout of the station and the engineering of the structural members,” Tim Alatorre, Orbital Assembly’s COO and architect, tells AD. “As we are generating artificial gravity through rotation, this introduces new structural scenarios that are unique to the space environment.”

The team working on Voyager Station and Pioneer Station plans to make the amenities and comforts similar to those found on traditional hotels on Earth.

While simulated gravity is important for long-term space habitats, for many visitors who venture so far, feeling the weightlessness of space is a big part of the appeal. As such, the company has plans to ensure this experience isn’t missed. “The interiors of Pioneer station, in particular, are designed to function in both zero gravity and partial gravity,” Alatorre explains. “They are highly flexible to respond to the needs of a variety of tenants on the station.”

While certain parts of the hotel will include the weightlessness of space, other sections will feel more like Earth, so guests can enjoy their drinks and meals.

There will be an opportunity for a zero-gravity experience on Voyager as well, and the designs currently include plans for recreational activities such as basketball games where participants can soar higher due to the weightlessness of the environment. Perhaps only in outer space will LeBron James have competition. On theme, the team also plans to plate traditional “space food” such as freeze-dried ice cream in the hotel's restaurant to add additional appeal.

For now, the space hotel isn’t commenting on its room rate, but comparing it to other proposed public space missions, it will likely come at a steep cost. For example, Virgin Galactic plans to launch ordinary passengers into space at $450,000 per person, per trip. The team at Voyager and Pioneer Station, however, has already assured the public that as space tourism becomes more commonplace, they hope to eventually make a stay at the hotel something similar to buying a cruise ticket.